LIVERPOOL were handed a boost as they look to keep hold of Georginio Wijnaldum as LaLiga blocked Barcelona’s transfer plans, according to reports.
New Barca boss Ronald Koeman has been tasked with revamping his squad after replacing Quique Setien following the 8-2 embarrassment against Bayern Munich.
LaLiga look set to block any attempts Barcelona make to sign Liverpool midfielder Georginio WijnaldumCredit: Getty – Pool
And he identified two of the players who starred under him for the Dutch national team, Memphis Depay and Wijnaldum, as primary targets.
However, as reported by the Sunday Mirror, the Catalan giants will not be able to sign either player – meaning Liverpool could well keep their title-winning man.
Due to the financial impact of coronavirus, the Spanish league officials have stepped in by introducing strict guidelines for clubs.
Therefore Barcelona – who have a staggering £510million-a-year wage bill – must raise funds by selling players to complete any new purchases.
The reports adds they must also pay the same amount as the transfer fee to the Spanish government following financial support handed to clubs during the global pandemic.
LaLiga placed a budget limit for transfers and staff costs on all 20 top-flight clubs based on financial results from the past five years.
Joris Evers, the league’s director of communications, said: “We have a financial system, which goes beyond Uefa’s Financial Fair Play.
“At Uefa they look at figures when a season is finished, we set the standards before the season starts.
Ronald Koeman was desperate to be reunited with Wijnaldum and Memphis Depay after their success together with the Dutch national teamCredit: Getty – Contributor
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“If Barcelona try to do a deal behind the scenes, our analysts will notice this immediately.
“The clubs agreed on this system as a reaction on a period when they were struggling to pay the wages of the players, because they’d overspent time and time again. Nobody wants to go back to that situation.”
Barcelona have lost a reported £300m in the last six months as a result of Covid-19 while players are handing back up to 70 per cent of wages.
The potential sale of Lionel Messi to Manchester City would have brought in a big cash injection but his U-turn to see out his contract ensured those funds were not available.
That looks set to scupper plans to reunite Koeman with Lyon ace Depay and the Reds’ Wijnaldum who are both in the final years of their contracts and keen on a move to the Nou Camp.
Liverpool bolstered their midfield, and provided further competition for Wijnaldum, this week with the £25m coup to land Thiago Alcantara from Bayern.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp in good spirits looking forward to Thiago Alcantara signing
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
